


Sporty Prince

by Varewulf



Category: BanG Dream! (Anime), BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game), Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: AU, Crossover, F/F, Fluff, Minor Angst, Yuri, implied Polypa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-10
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2020-02-29 11:13:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18777133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Varewulf/pseuds/Varewulf
Summary: What if Watanabe You was captain of Haneoka Girls' High School swim club?And what if Toyama Asuka went to check out the club, and had a strong reaction?Well, you get a long crossover fic, that's what.Hope you enjoy~.





	1. The Captain

**Author's Note:**

> My brain told me it had an idea for a quick and silly crossover. I feel lied to. This was neither quick, nor particularly silly. Though I had a lot of fun with it nonetheless.
> 
> Believe it or not, this spawned from seeing some artwork of a sporty Watanabe You, which led to me thinking "oh yeah, she's part of the swim club in LL Sunshine", and then going "wait, Asuka was in the swim club at Hanasakigawa", then "what if You was Captain of the Haneoka swim club, and was considered the school's third prince, and Asuka went to check it out, and got some doki dokis?!" And it really just... grew from there.
> 
> So in this AU You and Chika have always lived in Edogawa, and gone to Haneoka. Riko moved there at the start of high school, and quickly became friends with the other two. No school idols this time. Edogawa is band land, after all.
> 
> I couldn't find anywhere in the anime where Ako actually called Asuka and Rokka by name, so I basically had to guess what she calls them based on Ako's personality. So Asuka became Asu-chin, and I figured she might call Rokka "Lock" like Popipa do. Ako might have prodded her more about her old band life and such. Don't worry about it. If you're aware of what she actually calls them, feel free to enlighten me!
> 
> It  turned out to be pretty long, but I hope you'll enjoy it nonetheless.

"Thanks for coming with me, Ako."

"No problem, Asu-chin!"

Asuka hadn't intended to join any clubs when she started at Haneoka High. It was supposed to be a serious school for serious studying. Though it hadn't exactly lived up to expectations. If anything things seemed even more care-free there than they had been at Hanasakigawa. Which had led her to think that maybe it was okay to ease up a little bit. Just a little. She had enjoyed the swim club in middle school, so it couldn't hurt to at least have a look at what Haneoka's was like. And since she didn't really know her way around school yet, Ako had helpfully volunteered to show her the way.

The swimming pool smell hit Asuka the moment they opened the door, and it immediately made her feel a bit nostalgic. She had dropped out of club activities to study for entrance exams towards the end year three, so even though it had only been like half a year since her last swim session, it felt like much longer.

The next thing that hit her was that there were a lot of girls present. It was the big day in terms of checking out clubs, so there were lots of girls everywhere, but even taking that into account there were more in the pool room than she had expected. There hadn't been that high of an interest in swimming at Hanasakigawa. Weird.

She was about to ask Ako about it, when a loud voice suddenly started speaking. All the buzzing and murmuring of the crowd went silent immediately.

"Hello, everyone! Whoa, we've got quite the turn-out here, huh? Well, I'm always happy to see eager recruits!"

There was a girl wearing a school swimsuit up on one of the starting blocks. She wasn't super tall, so perhaps the extra height was calculated, but her silver hair and sparkling blue eyes definitely drew attention.

_Ba-dump._

_What was that?_ Asuka asked herself. There had been a weird feeling in her chest. "Who is that?" she quietly asked Ako.

"Hm? That's Watanabe You, Haneoka's third prince. She's the captain of the swim team," Ako whispered back.

"Third prince?"

"Yeah. Kaoru's the elegant prince, onee-chan is the rock prince, and You-senpai is the sporty prince."

"Huh." _How many princes does one school need?_ Asuka wondered. _Is this a high school, or a dating sim?_

"I'm going to become the dark prince," Ako said with the utmost confidence. She already had a fanbase, so maybe that wasn't too far-fetched.

Captain You kept talking: "Now if it was up to me I would happily let you all in, but there is such a thing as member restrictions. We only have the one pool after all, and I don't think even Hina-chan will let me build one more." There was a round of laughter, and she grinned wide. "But everyone is welcome to have a look! I'll give you a brief guide, if you'll follow me. Yousoro!" She saluted, then hopped off of the block. Practically everyone followed her around as if they were one single being rather than a group of individuals.

The tour went ahead at a measured pace as You patiently explained the ins and outs of what the club did, and what the facilities were like. Even taking the time to answer questions, though there weren't a lot. Most of the girls present seemed content to follow her around.

Though Asuka couldn't really claim to be any better, as she couldn't come up with anything to say either. She already knew what a swim club was like anyway. Besides there were so many girls there. She didn't want to stand out.

"And that's about it!" You said in a cheerful tone. "If you're still interested in joining, we're holding try-outs next week. You can come by on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday! Even if you're worried about your ability, I urge you to still give it a shot. Being eager to learn is just as important as how good you already are. If not more!"

Honestly Asuka didn't think You seemed that princely. She was more of an energetic goof like Ako or president Hina. Yet for some reason she felt drawn to looking at her.

"We're not quite done yet, though," You said, and winked playfully at them. There was a collective gasp from the crowd. "We're holding a small demonstration. I'll race against the team ace. You ready, Hiyori-chan?"

"Of course. I'm not gonna hold back, captain." Another girl, presumably the ace, stepped forth.

"I'd kick you off the team if you did," You said jokingly, getting another round of laughter from the rest of the team. "Let's give them a good show."

The two of them got up on the starting blocks, and got into ready position. Asuka could tell just from their stances that they were experienced. The start signal went off, and they both dove into the water in perfect sync.

_Ba-dump._

You rushed through the water like a fish. Her movements were graceful, and efficient. It was like she belonged there.

_Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump._

Asuka put a hand on her chest. It felt like her heart was going out of control. Part of her wanted to get away, but she was rooted to the spot, unable to take her eyes off of the race. Or her eyes off of the captain, at least. When the race ended, it took her a moment to realise that You had lost. It was just by a couple of seconds, but Asuka had been so focused on watching just the one person that she had completely zoned out the other.

The crowd exploded in cheers while the racers got out of the pool.

"Wow, that was great! Don't you think so, Asu-chin?"

"Huh?" Asuka was finally able to look away. She realised that Ako had just said something, but she hadn't paid attention.

"Are you okay?" Ako sounded a little worried. "You're looking rather red."

"Y-yeah," Asuka said quickly. "It's just a bit warm in here. I think I need some fresh air."

They started to leave, but heard one last thing from You's lips before they got out.

"Whew! That's why she's the ace, and I'm not. And here I wanted to look good in front of the new recruits. Well, I hope I still see some of you next week!"

Next week...


	2. The Try-outs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asuka decides to try out for the club.

Asuka showed up at the pool again the following Wednesday. She had tried going on Monday, but there had been so many girls present that she had turned back. There were still a lot that day too, but it was a more manageable number. She wouldn't have to wait too long to get into the water.

The vice-captain was the one handling the registrations, so that was who Asuka ended up talking to before she went in to change. Captain You was over by the pool watching, and chatting to the ones who were trying out. A lot of whom seemed far more interested in her than in swimming.

Not that Asuka felt particularly superior, as she was still questioning her own motives for showing up. She had only gone last week to have a look. That was all. She hadn't seriously thought about actually joining. In fact, she had been pretty certain she wouldn't. She had just wanted to look. And what she had seen was You's graceful form cutting through the water. She could kinda see why they considered her a prince.

It was weird to be back in a swimsuit. There wasn't any real difference between the Haneoka and Hanasakigawa swimsuits, but for some reason she felt more self-conscious about wearing it than she had with her old one.

 _What am I doing here?_ It was a relevant question. She hadn't told Ako or Rokka about how she was going to try out. Though she couldn't say for sure why. Something about telling them made her feel embarrassed, even though they would definitely find out if she actually joined. It wasn't something she could keep hidden. Nor was there any good reason why she would want to. Everything felt weird. Just glancing over at You made her heart beat a little faster. The captain's hair was wet, and sparkled in the sunlight coming in through the windows. It was breath-taking, and certainly wasn't making Asuka feel any less weird. Maybe she should leave.

Then all of a sudden it was her turn. She was given the choice between just easing into the water, or using the starting block. She chose the block. Even with how many months it had been since last time, it was like everything was coming back to her once she got up there. All distractions dropped away, and it was just her versus the water. No start signal, just go when she was ready. As she took her stance, it was like auto-pilot kicked in. Her body knew what to do.

She effortlessly pierced the water, and shot off. It was both accepting her, and pushing against her. Wanting her to prove her worth. She knew how to get into the flow, and minimise resistance. It was good to be back. There was a certain rush to it. Studying for the future was important, but it felt good to indulge in something she enjoyed. It felt like instinct to flip around, kick off from the other side, and zoom back to the start. She would have liked to continue, but they had told her that with the amount of applicants they didn't really have time to give everyone more than one round trip. Which took some people longer than others.

Someone offered her a hand up as she got to the edge, and she took it without looking. Only once she got up did she see who it was.

"Captain! I-I mean, Watanabe-senpai."

_Ba-dump._

"Haha, no need to be so tense. What's your name, sailor?"

"M-me?" _Sailor?_ "I'm Toyama Asuka." Asuka felt a conflict between standing her ground, and running away. You was definitely not as tall as either Tomoe or Kaoru, but she was taller than Asuka, and that close up the difference somehow felt more important. Those arms looked very strong.

"Aha! How was the water, Asuka-chan?" You was grinning, though Asuka couldn't see a reason why.

"It was... good." Her face felt hot, and she had a feeling her racing heart was not just because she'd had some brief exercise.

"You sure looked like you were having fun in there. Wanna join the team?" You asked.

"Huh?" _Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump._

"What do you say, Nanami-chan?" You looked at the girl who Asuka had talked to earlier, the vice-captain.

"With a performance like that I'd say she has a good chance. Good time too. But you know we have to wait until the try-outs are over before we make our final decision, captain."

"Yeah, yeah." You looked back at Asuka. "I'm guessing you've done this before, Asuka-chan?"

"Uh, yeah. I was on the swim team in middle school," Asuka admitted. "At Hanasakigawa."

"No kidding. I have some friends there. Er... had, I suppose. They graduated last year. Oops, I should get back to watching the rest." You patted Asuka on the shoulder. "Come back on Monday. I'm sure we'll have good news for you." She winked before walking away.

"Uh... y-yeah." Asuka put her own hand over where You had touched her. It almost felt like a shame that she had to go shower. _Wait, no, what am I thinking? Get a grip, Asuka._

* * *

"What's the matter, Asuka-chan?" Rokka asked at lunch the next day.

Asuka jumped. "What? The matter? Nothing."

"Is something wrong with Asu-chin?" Ako asked.

"No! I-I mean... I'm just... thinking."

"Hm? About what?"

Asuka wanted to brush it off, but there was really no reason to keep it secret. "I went to try out for the swim club yesterday."

"Oh! That's great!" Ako cheered up immediately, as expected.

"I thought you said you didn't have time for clubs?" Rokka pointed out.

"Well, yeah... but... nothing wrong with getting a small break from things, right? It felt good to be in the water again. And..."

"And?"

"Nothing." No need to tell them everything. Definitely no need.

"Well, I hope you have fun," Rokka said with a smile.

"Hey, I'm not a member yet. There were so many girls that I have to wait for the results from the try-outs."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, because of You-senpai," Ako helpfully added.

"Who?" Rokka asked.

"Haneoka's sporty prince!"

"Oh, Watanabe-senpai."

"Huh? You know her?" Asuka asked Rokka.

"No, but I've heard of her," Rokka said. "It's hard to avoid hearing about the popular students, you know?"

Asuka hadn't heard. Was she really that bad at paying attention to those things?

Ako suddenly got a sly smile. "Oho~. Maybe Asu-chin also went to try out because of You-senpai."

"Really?" Rokka looked at Asuka.

"What? N-no!"

"Ufufu~." Ako chuckled. "My mystic eye sees all."

Asuka glared at her. "You're just bullying me now." Though what really bothered her was that Ako was right. Partially right, at least. It wasn't like she would have joined the drama club for Kaoru or anything. It could only be the swim club. That You was the captain was just... a bonus. Or something.

* * *

After the weekend the swim club put up lists of their rankings for everyone who had tried out. Who had made the cut, and who hadn't. The ones who had just barely missed the cut were hoping that some of the ones who had made it would change their minds, so they could get in anyway. According to the notice it wasn't just based on who got the best results, but also who showed potential, who had the most fun, and a few other vague factors.

Asuka wasn't sure how she felt about such a weird system of ranking everyone, but regardless she had made the cut. She was in the top five at that. Again she had some conflicted feelings about it. Maybe it would be best to walk away...

"Oh, Asuka-chan!"

Asuka jumped. She had been staring at the list so intently that she hadn't noticed You walking up to her. _She remembers my name._

"I was hoping you'd show up. You made the cut, and then some!" You beamed at her, and it was almost more than Asuka could take. "Though I am required to ask whether you still want to join. What do you say? Are you on board?"

"I..." _I don't have time. I have to focus on studying. It will be too distracting._ A dozen excuses bubbled up in Asuka's mind, but instead she said: "I'd like to."

You grinned wide. "Great! Come on, let's sign you up, sailor." She grabbed Asuka's hand. "Yousoro!" And dragged her over to the desk where the vice-captain was sitting.

She meant to protest being grabbed, but was too mesmerised by the warmth of You's hand to actually manage to say anything. _What am I getting myself into?_


	3. The Contemplation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asuka tries to sort out her feelings, and has a surprise encounter with You.

"Hey, Ako."

"Yes?"

"You have a girlfriend, right?"

"Yes! Rin-rin is the best!" Ako looked so radiant that Asuka was tempted to shield her eyes.

"Um... how could you tell?"

"Huh? Tell what?"

Asuka wasn't sure how to phrase it. "How could you tell that you liked her? What is it like?"

"Um... hm..." Ako folded her arms, and had a think. "Well, I always look forward to seeing her. I feel warm when we're close. It's like I'm soaring high on dark wings. She makes my heart beat faster. It aches to be away from her. I ended up asking Lisa-nee for advice, and she basically said: 'You're in love, Ako'."

"Imai-senpai?" Asuka didn't know her well enough to know whether Ako's impression was close or not. "Not your sister?"

"Er... well... onee-chan is the best at a lot of things, but... she's a bit clueless about love and that stuff." Ako sounded a little embarrassed. "You wouldn't believe how long it took for her and Hii-chan to get together. Unfortunately not even onee-chan is perfect."

"I see..."

"Are you saying there's someone you like, Asu-chin?"

"Eh?! Um... maybe... I'm not sure..." Or maybe she was sure, but just didn't want to fully admit it. "I'm trying to figure that out, I guess."

"Hm... did you ask your sister? Kasumi-chan has a bunch of girlfriends, right?"

Asuka had considered it. "I... no... it would be too embarrassing..." On top of that she wasn't sure whether Kasumi would be shocked, opposed to it, or extremely supportive. Nor which would be worse.

"So who is it you think you like?"

"Um..." That was a very relevant question, though Asuka wasn't sure if she wanted to answer it.

"Oh! It's You-senpai, isn't it? I was right about that, wasn't I?"

"Huh?"

"Heehee, I knew it! My mystic eye does see all!" Ako seemed very excited.

"W-wait, Ako..."

"Am I wrong?"

Ako's smug expression was kinda annoying, but Asuka still couldn't make herself outright deny it. "Well..." She hesitated.

"Ehehehe, I knew it~, I knew it~. My power is growing!"

"I-if you're going to be like that, then this conversation is over." Asuka turned away with a dramatic huff.

"Wait, Asu-chin. I'll listen. I promise!"

"Too late."

"Awwww, Asu-chin."

Ako's dejected whine wasn't enough to give Asuka a guilty conscience. She was feeling too embarrassed for that. Surely half the room had to be looking their way because of Ako's excitement. It hadn't been an entirely pointless conversation though. What Ako had described was pretty close to what Asuka was feeling. So there was a good chance that she had fallen in love with You. Admittedly that was what she had suspected all along. She had just needed someone to confirm it.

Whether she should do something about it was a different matter. It was her first crush. Those tended to pass by quickly. Supposedly. At least that was what she had heard. It probably wouldn't last for long. But she had already joined the club. If she stayed close to You, then... but she couldn't back out any longer. Well, technically she could, but... everything felt very complicated. If it didn't pass, then what? She should just keep it to herself. There was no way she could ask out a third-year. Yet Ako was dating a third-year, so it wasn't like it was impossible...

No, she really shouldn't be thinking along those lines. If You was still single when she was that popular, then it was probably for good reason. She probably got confessed to a lot, and turned down everyone. Or she was already dating someone. So Asuka would just get turned down too. There was really no other possibility. But... maybe... what if...

_No, stop it, Asuka._

* * *

The library at Haneoka High seemed a little busier than the one at Hanasakigawa had been, so maybe the students were a little more serious about studying after all. Asuka enjoyed it. It was a little bigger too, or maybe that was just her imagination. They'd had the biology book she wanted, so now all she had to do was go back to the table where Rokka was waiting. Ako wasn't with them that day, because she had plans with her band.

But on the way over she paused, because she spotted a familiar-looking head of silver hair. Yet there was something not familiar too, as the person was wearing a pair of red-framed glasses. She felt compelled to investigate.

"Watanabe-senpai?"

The person looked up, and broke into a grin. "Oh no, my disguise is foiled."

_Ba-dump._

"W-Watanabe-senpai?"

"Yup, it's me," You confirmed. "I guess you haven't seen these before." She adjusted her glasses. "Most people are a little surprised. But I kinda need them to read, you see. Can't help that they look a bit dorky, unfortunately."

Asuka shook her head. "No, you look great. In them. I mean, they look great. On you." She decided to stop there before she made it even worse. It wasn't fair that anyone looked that good in glasses.

"Haha, that's a relief. Sometimes people run away, so I worry they look bad." It sounded like You was only half-joking.

 _I don't think that's why anyone would run away_ , Asuka thought. It was more that it was a somewhat overwhelming sight.

"So what are you up to, Asuka-chan?"

"Uh..." Asuka held up the book she had gotten. "Gonna study."

"Aha, good girl. Studying is important." You smiled wide, but Asuka was more preoccupied with having been called a 'good girl'.

Then she noticed there was a small pile of gift-wrapped boxes on the side of the table. "What's that?"

"Hm? Oh, that's just..." You suddenly looked a little embarrassed. "I tend to get little gifts of appreciation like this... I don't think I really deserve it, but I don't feel right turning them down, you know? I used to try, but they'd always look so disappointed. Better to accept them."

"Oh..."

"Did you bring me a little something too, perhaps?" You had switched gears back to playful mode.

"Wha- n-no, I didn't think-"

"Ahaha, relax. I'm only joking."

Asuka let out a sigh. "You're bad for my heart, Watanabe-senpai." She hadn't actually meant to say that out loud.

"Sorry about that. Though, maybe you could do me a favour?"

"Favour?"

"Yeah, the whole 'Watanabe-senpai' thing... could you call me You?"

"W-what?" Asuka wasn't sure how to respond to that.

"See, I kinda find that formality stuff a little awkward. I'd much prefer if you called me You. Please? I'd consider it a huge favour."

"B-but..."

"Please?"

_Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump._

You's hopeful expression wasn't exactly making Asuka calm down.

"O-okay, You-senpai." It felt a little weird to say, even though she wasn't usually one to worry too much about that stuff.

You lit up. "Much better! Now-"

"You-chan~!"

A voice cut in, and they both looked towards the source. Two girls were walking towards them. One with orange hair, and one with red hair. Asuka didn't recognise them, but they were wearing third-year uniforms like You.

The red-head pinched the other one. "Don't shout in the library, Chika-chan."

"Ow! Sorry."

"Chika-chan, Riko-chan. You're late." You didn't sound upset, more like she was just pointing it out.

"Yeah, Riko-chan needed time to get her hair right," Chika said without hesitation.

"What? No, it was your detour to the vending machines that cost us time," Riko protested.

"Uh..." Asuka felt very out of place.

"Oh, sorry." You smiled at her. "These are my best friends Chika-chan, and Riko-chan." She looked at them. "And this is Asuka-chan, one of our new club members."

"Nice to meet you," Asuka said. She suddenly felt very bashful.

"Same to you, Asuka-chan," Riko said.

"Yeah, nice to meet you!" Chika concurred.

"Asuka-chan's pretty good," You said earnestly. "If she keeps improving, she might make the main team before the end of the year."

"Whoa, high praise!" Chika sounded impressed.

Asuka was certain she was blushing. There was only one option. "Uh, I should go. Study. My friend is waiting."

"Oh, sure. See you at practice tomorrow, Asuka-chan."

"Bye-bye, Asuka-chan," Chika chimed in.

Riko gave Asuka an odd look, then smiled warmly. "See you, Asuka-chan."

"Bye."

Asuka felt glad to get out of there. It was too much to handle. While she was tempted to get some fresh air, she instead bee-lined for her original destination.

"Oh, there you are," Rokka said. "I was getting worried."

"Sorry. I just ran into someone. Got held up." Asuka tried to appear as calm as possible as she sat down.

"Oh? Who?"

"Uh..." Asuka considered lying, but it was too hard to come up with anything. "You-senpai."

"You-senpai?" Rokka looked confused for a moment. "Oh! Oh, so you're on a first-name basis now?"

"What? What does that mean?"

"Nothing."

"She was the one who asked me to," Asuka explained.

"I didn't say anything. But I'm happy for you." Rokka smiled.

"It's not like that!"

"Isn't it?"

"No!"

"If you say so."

"It isn't!"

"Okay." Rokka kept smiling.

"Ugh, whatever." Asuka took out her notebook, and opened the book she had borrowed. _It's not like that,_ she repeated to herself. _Is it?_


	4. The Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With encouragement from her friends, Asuka decides to confess her feelings for You.

Asuka touched the end of the lane, and pushed her head above water.

"Well done, Asuka-chan! That's about a second's improvement on your personal best."

"Thanks, Nanami-senpai."

That was her fourth attempt that day, so her muscles were starting to ache a little, but she was happy with the achievement. She got out, and checked the exact time. It was at the level her PB had been back in middle school. 0.2 seconds faster to be precise. Seemed like she had finally shaken off the rust that months of inactivity had caused.

Thankfully her worries about club activities negatively impacting her studying had been unfounded so far. If anything it helped her approach things with a clearer mind. Rokka had brought up the idea that physical activity helped reduce stress and restlessness that built up from just sitting still. When asked why she hadn't joined a sports club herself, she had merely brushed it off with how working at Galaxy kept her plenty active. Asuka thought she still looked pretty soft and squishy though.

Even taking her one issue with the club into account, she felt like things were going well.

"I'm happy to see you're enjoying the club, Asuka-chan," the vice-captain said. "I was a little worried..."

"Huh?" Asuka gave her a confused look.

"Say, what do you think of our lovely captain?"

Asuka hadn't seen that one coming. She just stared at Nanami for a moment before thinking to reply. "W-what do you mean?"

"Oh, come now. I recognise the way you look at her, and how you act around her. You're hardly the first."

"Oh..."

"Ah, no, I don't mean that in a bad way," Nanami was quick to say. "You-chan is an attractive girl. It's perfectly understandable."

"Then..." Asuka was definitely confused. "Nanami-senpai, are you also..."

"Haha, no." Nanami waved her hand dismissively. "We've both been on the team since year one. My feelings for her have only ever been friendly. But it's hard to ignore all her fans, you know? Seen a bunch of them come and go. Last year was busy, though I expect this year might be even more so. Lots of cute little first-years like you, quick to swoon."

There was a pause as Asuka-chan wasn't sure how to react.

"Ah, sorry, that probably came off meaner than intended. I have a tendency to get carried away."

It was true that some of the new members had already dropped out of the club, even though they hadn't even reached summer vacation yet. But even so... "Why are you telling me this?"

Nanami awkwardly rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry. I was trying to get to that, but I got side-tracked, ehehe..." She slapped her cheeks with both hands a couple of times, as if she was trying to get herself to focus. "Okay, here goes! You're a sweet girl, Asuka-chan. You clearly care about swimming. Even though you showed promise from the start, I was worried you were only here because of the captain, like so many others. But you have convinced me otherwise. Hence I feel like I want to help out a little. You know, like a good senpai should."

Asuka blinked. "Help out?"

"Yeah, see... You-chan is very charming, but also incredibly dense. She's never going to realise anyone's feelings on her own. If you want to make something of it, you're going to have to tell her yourself."

_Ba-dump._

The very thought made Asuka feel a little unsteady. "W-why would I- um... I mean... you really think I should?"

Nanami smiled. "I'm not going to force you, but I think you would be better for the captain than most everyone else who has tried. Maybe an earnest, hard-working girl like you is what she needs. Besides, don't they say it's better to have tried and failed, than not trying at all? Gotta make the most of your youth, after all!" She winked.

Asuka was pretty certain she was blushing fiercely.

"I think that's what they say, at least... maybe I just made that up... anyway, I'll root for you."

That was all well and good, but Asuka just felt a little dumbfounded. _Is it really okay if I tell her?_

* * *

"You wanted to see me, Asuka-chan?"

"Y-yeah." Asuka had been psyching herself up for a week, and finally managed to leave a note for You, asking to see her on the roof. The nerves were really getting to her. She had even gone so far as to ask both Ako and Rokka for advice. Sort of hoping they would talk her out of it, but unfortunately they had only been supportive.

"What's up?" You asked.

"Well... um... you see, You-senpai... I..." Ako had been very insistent on there being no hesitation. "I really like you."

"Eh?"

"Like, I'm in love with you," she added, not wanting there to be any misunderstandings. "Would you... um... go out with me? Maybe?" That was probably not the level of confidence she should be displaying, but her confidence level was somewhere below zero.

"Oh... uh... are you sure?" Not exactly the sort of response Asuka had been hoping for.

"Y-yes."

"Um... huh..." You awkwardly scratched at her cheek. "I... I'm not sure if I should go out with someone from the club..."

"Then I'll quit the club!" _Wait, what am I saying?_ That had fallen out of Asuka's mouth without passing through her brain first.

You looked at her wide eyes. "Y-you want to quit the club?"

"No! I don't want to, I just... I thought that..." _I didn't think._ "Maybe then we could..." _This is all going wrong._ "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have, I... just forget about it. I'm sorry, You-senpai." Asuka sprinted past You, towards the door.

"W-wait, Asuka-chan!"

But Asuka didn't wait. She tore the door open, and ran down the stairs. It had been a mistake. She had just made a fool of herself.

* * *

"Aa-chan~!"

Asuka's bed was suddenly shaking.

A cheerful voice declared: "It's time to get ready for school!"

"Waugh! Onee-chan, stop it! I'm not going to school!"

The shaking stopped.

"Huh? But you love school." Kasumi sounded confused.

"No, I don't. School is bad." Asuka pulled the duvet over her head.

The mattress bounced as Kasumi sat down. "What's wrong? What happened?" she asked.

"Nothing."

"Is someone bullying you? I'll beat them up! I'll get O-Tae to beat them up too!"

"No! It's nothing."

"Aa-chan?"

"Go away, onee-chan."

Kasumi tugged Asuka's duvet down a little, and started patting her head. "Not until you tell me what's wrong."

Asuka grumbled. Why did Kasumi suddenly have to act like a dependable older sister? That wasn't fair. "Hmph..."

"Aaaaa-chan~!"

"Mrph."

"My sweet, little Aa-chan~." Kasumi cooed.

"Ugh, fine! I'll tell you! But then you have to go away." Asuka glared, but Kasumi just smiled back. She was much easier to deal with when she was just being an irresponsible idiot. "I confessed to someone."

Kasumi gasped. "You're in love, Aa-chan?!"

"It doesn't matter. I messed up. I can't go back now. I'll have to transfer back to Hanasakigawa."

"Awww, Aa-chan. Come here." Kasumi bundled Asuka up, and pulled her up into a hug.

"H-hey!" The little sister was now trapped.

"It'll be okay. I mess up all the time, you know."

"That's for sure."

"Ouch. But that's how we learn. Everyone messes up. The important thing is finding a way to work it out, or some way to get past it. You'll be okay. You're much more responsible than I am."

"L-let me go, onee-chan."

"Not yet."

"Onee-chan..." Asuka sniffled. "I-is it meant to hurt this much?"

Kasumi squeezed her a little tighter. "Unfortunately yes."

Unable to hold back any longer, Asuka started bawling her eyes out.

Kasumi held her for as long as she needed, even though it meant she ended up late for school. Asuka was allowed to stay at home that day. So long as she promised to go the next day, her mother agreed to call the school, and tell them she was sick.


	5. The Prince

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look at You's perspective on the situation.

You exhaled deeply.

"What's the matter, You-chan?" Chika asked.

"If you sigh like that, your soul is going to escape," Riko said. That probably wasn't true.

"It's nothing," You replied.

"Didn't sound like nothing."

A fair observation. Well, she kinda wanted to get it off of her chest, and if she couldn't tell her best friends, then who?

"Someone confessed to me."

"Ooo, again?" Chika grinned. "Aren't you miss popular."

"It's not funny, Chika-chan." You gave her a grumpy look.

"We keep trying to tell you how admired you are," Riko pointed out. "But you always seem to forget within a day."

They had a point. The whole notion seemed so absurd to You that her brain quickly dismissed it, no matter how much evidence she was shown. She just couldn't think of any reason why she should be popular.

"Still, I figured you'd be used to love confessions by now," Riko continued. "What's different about this one?"

"W-what makes you think anything is different?" You asked.

Riko gave her a flat stare. "I know you well enough that I can tell."

"Yeah, even I can tell you're moodier than usual, You-chan," Chika agreed.

"I-I'm not moody!"

"You-chan." They weren't buying it.

"Mm... it's someone from the club..." You hesitantly admitted.

"Didn't that happen like six times last year?" Chika asked.

"I-it wasn't six! ... was it six?" You hadn't exactly kept count. She put her head in her hands, and groaned. "Why does this keep happening?"

There was a moment of silence.

"Well..."

"We've kinda been trying to figure out the right way to tell you..."

"You're kinda flirty, You-chan."

"Really flirty, actually."

You stared at them both in shock. "I-I never flirt!" she protested.

"You do, all the time," Riko said. "Just not on purpose."

"You're very charming," Chika said.

"In fact, when I first got to know you I thought for sure you were coming on to me hard until I realised that's just how you are." It didn't sound like Riko was joking.

"W-what? How am I flirty?" You didn't think she had ever flirted with anyone.

"Well... the way you casually touch people."

"Take their hands."

"Your playful winking."

"Addressing everyone affectionately."

"The silly jokes."

"Always helpful, and caring."

"B-but that's just being friendly," You said.

"You basically do the the same things Kaoru-san does, You-chan."

"Except she does it deliberately, while you just do it naturally."

"Not to mention you're both pretty, and handsome!"

You turned away, and covered up her face in an attempt to hide her rampant blushing. "Please... stop..."

The both of them giggled, and Chika patted You on the back. "Sorry, You-chan."

You had no idea how to react to what they had just told her. It wasn't like she could just change how she acted, or who she was overnight. But she also wasn't fond of the idea that everyone thought of her as a big flirt. She had never meant to do any flirting at all. Her father had taught her about how to treat people well. Did people also think of him as flirty? Actually, she didn't want to know the answer to that.

"So... the one who confessed to you... was it Asuka-chan?" Riko asked.

You spun around. "H-how did you- why would you think that?!"

"Whoa, Riko-chan is psychic!" Chika sounded impressed.

"No, I just have eyes, and functional social antennae," Riko said flatly. "I could tell the first time we met her."

"Oh..." You hadn't been able to tell at all.

"You seemed to have high hopes for her. Is that why you're so conflicted?" Riko kept probing.

You looked down. "Kinda, I guess..." It was true that a couple of club members had confessed to her last year. Definitely hadn't been six. And they had dropped out of the club afterwards. "She always looks like she really enjoys swimming. She works hard at it. So when she confessed, I kinda panicked... I said something like how I shouldn't date a club member, and she... she said she'd quit if it meant... we could be together..." That wasn't word for word, but You had been able to infer that much. Even though everyone kept calling her dense, she wasn't entirely clueless.

"Ah. Poor girl."

"Poor her?" You stared at Riko. "What about me?"

Riko just stared back.

You lost the staring contest, and sighed. "I don't want to take away something she really enjoys, I guess..." Asuka hadn't shown up for practice the day after, or the day after that.

"Why don't you just say yes?" Chika asked.

"Huh?"

"Well, I've been thinking it's about time you got a girlfriend, You-chan. So that way you can get one, and she can stay in the club! It's like catching two bears with one honeypot!"

"That's not how the saying goes, Chika-chan," Riko said with a sigh.

"It isn't?"

"Wait, wait, wait, time out!" You said. "But I'm not in love with her. I can't just..."

"Why not? Is there someone you are in love with?" Chika gave her a curious look.

"No, but..."

"Then it's fine! No reason to not try it out. She's cute." Chika beamed.

"Er... I'm not sure that's a good enough reason..."

"Chika-chan has a point," Riko said.

"She does?"

"I do? Of course I do!"

"Maybe you don't love her, but you like her, right? If you at least give it a shot, then it's probably easier to let her down later if it doesn't work out. Being miserable like this won't help anyone, and I'd bet she feels even worse. Your first love can be tough."

What Riko was saying sounded reasonable, but... "I've not been in love before either," she mumbled.

"Really? What about how you mooned over Kirika-senpai during first-year?"

"Doesn't count."

Riko giggled. "Also it's our last year of high school. Live a little."

"And who knows! She could be the love of your life!" Chika said eagerly.

You blinked. "Isn't that a bit early to decide?" She was barely 18.

"Why? Riko-chan is the love of my life~." Chika said proudly.

Riko blushed, and leaned over to give Chika a quick kiss on the cheek. "Every so often you manage to say just the right thing, Takami-san~."

Chika put her hand over where she had been kissed. "Eh? What did I do? I mean, yes! Of course!"

You smiled at watching her friends' antics. _Live a little, huh?_ Maybe they were right. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to try. It couldn't make things worse. Probably.


	6. The Resolution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You finally gives her answer to Asuka.

Things were uncomfortably silent as Asuka, Ako, and Rokka were studying in the library. Asuka didn't want to be the one to break the silence, though. She didn't really have anything to say. The other two had attempted to start conversation, but it hadn't really gone anywhere. It was better to just focus on studying.

"Asuka-chan."

Asuka automatically looked up before processing that she recognised the voice.

"Y-You-senpai?!"

"Hey, do you have a minute?" You asked.

"Uh, we're kinda busy-"

"Oh, I just remembered I have somewhere important to be!" Ako said all of sudden, and hopped out of her chair. "Come on, Lock!"

"Y-yeah, I should go too." Rokka hurriedly got up.

"Wait, I'll come-"

Ako put a hand on Asuka's shoulder. "You stay here, Asu-chin. It is vitally important that you do. Eternal damnation awaits you if you don't." Her tone and expression were deadly serious, then the moment passed. "Bye-bye, good luck!" She grabbed Rokka's hand, and dragged her away with impressive speed.

Asuka helplessly watched them disappear. She wanted to leave too, but she couldn't risk eternal damnation. Wait, that was probably just something Ako had made up.

"So, how are you doing?" You asked.

"I'm fine," Asuka lied.

"I guess that was a stupid question..." For some reason You was remaining on her feet, rather than sitting down like Asuka had expected. "You haven't been to practice."

"Mm."

"Are you quitting?"

"I..." Asuka glanced towards You. "I probably should..."

There was an awkward pause. Though in fairness everything about the situation was awkward.

"Listen... my answer is yes."

Asuka blinked, and finally looked right at You. "Huh?"

"Yes. I'll go out with you," You clarified.

_Ba-dump._

"W-wha- are you sure?" Maybe Asuka was still in bed, and dreaming all this.

"I've thought about it a lot. I'm sure. Sorry it took me so long..." You scratched at her cheek. "If you've changed your mind, I understand."

Part of Asuka wanted to be angry at having been left hanging for nearly a week, but her racing heart wanted her to jump on the chance. "N-no, I'd love to! Go out with you, I mean. But the club..."

"Ah. Haha... that was... um... kinda just an excuse..." You admitted. "I panicked. I'm really sorry."

"Oh..."

"I want you to stay in the club, if that's okay. I know the others want you to too." You smiled. "And... um... I'm not sure if it serves as a proper apology, but how about a hug? I've been told they make anything at least a little better."

Asuka was stunned for a few seconds, but then quickly got up, and ran into You's arms. She didn't care whether anyone was watching. "You-senpai."

"Hm... no, that's no good."

"Huh?"

"If we're going to be dating, then no more senpai."

Asuka was confused. "No more... th-then... You-san?"

"Ouch, no, I think that's worse. I'll accept You-chan, or just You."

"J-just You?!"

"There we go~!" You sounded thrilled, and started stroking Asuka's hair. "Good girl."

_Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump._

While she was still confused, Asuka felt content to just lean against You for a bit longer, and ignore the handful of death glares coming her way.

* * *

Asuka's hand touched the end, and she pushed herself up with a gasp.

"Well done, Asuka-chan! Half a second behind your personal best, but that's still really good."

"Thanks, Nanami-senpai." That was the last lap of the day, so she floated over towards the ladder.

"Think you're ready for next week's race?"

Asuka did a one-arm flex once she got out. "No worries."

Nanami laughed. "That's great." She put the stopwatch away. "Oh. And... I've been thinking... I want to apologise."

"Huh?"

"Well, I pushed you into confessing, and... seriously underestimated how badly the captain would handle it. I know you've worked it out, but... I'm still sorry."

"That's... it was still my decision, Nanami-senpai. You don't have to be sorry."

Nanami smiled softly. "I still am."

"Uh... thanks. Apology accepted?" Asuka hadn't meant to make it sound like a question.

"Hehe, good." They headed towards the showers. "Be sure to give Hiyori-chan a run for her money next week."

"Eh? I'm not on that level yet."

"Nothing's impossible!"

"No, that one is definitely impossible." The ace was the ace for a reason. Asuka couldn't even beat You yet, and You could only beat Hiyori maybe one in five times. On a good day.

"Maybe if the captain offers you a reward~?"

"Eh? N-nope, still impossible." Though she would probably spend the rest of the day wondering what sort of a reward You might offer.

* * *

School was over, and so was practice, so Asuka was heading towards the school gate with You. Ako had already gone to band practice, and Rokka had work that day, so it was just the two of them. Asuka felt strangely fluttery. Then...

"Aa-chan~!"

 _Oh no._ Asuka barely had time to look before she got pounced. "Onee-chan?!"

"Aa-chan!"

"What are you doing here?" Asuka tried to push Kasumi off.

"I wanted to meet your girlfriend!" Kasumi cheerfully declared. "Ooo, is this her?" She let go of Asuka, and hopped right in front of You.

"Uh..." You looked a bit like a deer caught in headlights.

"Hi, I'm Kasumi! Aa-chan's big sister!"

"H-hi. I'm You, Aa-ch- Asuka-chan's girlfriend."

"Onee-chan!"

Kasumi looked at Asuka. "She looks strong. Is she strong?" She looked back at You. "Are you strong?"

"H-huh?"

Kasumi was suddenly to You's side, and put her hand around her upper arm. "Ooo, feels strong too! Can you flex?"

"Onee-chan, stop!" Asuka started pushing Kasumi away from You.

"Eh? I just want to touch her a little."

"No, don't touch my girlfriend. You already have four. Go touch them." Asuka glared at her sister.

"Uh, f-four?" You piped up behind them, but neither paid notice.

"Aw, come on. I'll let you borrow Arisa for a while. She's very soft, you know." Kasumi sounded proud of that, as if Arisa's softness was _her_ accomplishment.

"I'm not sharing girlfriends with you, onee-chan!"

"Awwwwww..."

"Hahahahaha~."

Someone was laughing, and Asuka realised it was You, so she looked behind her.

"Oh my, hahaha, I didn't expect your sister to be like this, Asuka-chan." You sounded very amused.

Asuka blushed. "Yeah, well..."

"It's nice to meet you, Kasumi-chan. You have a very good little sister."

"I know~." Kasumi happily hugged Asuka again. "She's the best! Nice to meet you too, You-chan."

Asuka just felt very embarrassed.

"Oh! But I have to let you know that if you hurt Aa-chan, then O-Tae and I will have to beat you up."

"Onee-chan!" Asuka hissed.

"Haha, we can't have that." You seemed to be enjoying this a lot. "I'll do my best!" She saluted. "Yousoro!"

"Ooo~." Kasumi returned the salute. "Yousoro!" Asuka took the chance to break away. "I like her," Kasumi said to her sister.

"That's great, now go home!" Asuka said sternly. "You and I are going on a date, and you can't come along."

"You are?"

"We are?"

"Yes!"

"Aw, okay." Kasumi looked a little disappointed, but she didn't argue. "Have fun~. I'll let mum know, and you can tell me all about it when you get home."

"Whatever. Come on, You." Asuka linked her arm with You's, and dragged her away from Kasumi. The more distance she got from her sister, the better. That had been extremely embarrassing.

"That's quite the sister you have," You commented. Even without looking Asuka could tell she was grinning wide.

Asuka huffed. "She's terrible."

"Now now. She clearly loves you a lot. I like her."

"Hmph... I wouldn't mind her loving me a bit less... I thought I was going to die of shame." Maybe she should give Kasumi the silent treatment for a week as punishment.

"So... is it true she has four girlfriends?"

"Uh... yes. Her whole band is... they're all involved with each other very closely." Though Asuka didn't like thinking too deeply about it. There were certain things one shouldn't imagine one's sister doing.

"I didn't even know that was possible..." You murmured. "What's her band called?"

"Poppin' Party."

"Oh! I thought she looked familiar. I've seen them a few times. At Space's final concert was the first time. I can't believe I didn't recognise her..."

 _At Space..._ That meant that Asuka and You had actually been in the same crowd. She wondered how far apart they had been.

"So where are we going on this surprise date of ours~?"

"Uh..." Asuka stopped, and looked around. She hadn't actually been paying attention to where she had been going at all, she had been too focused on getting away from her sister. "Um..." Then she realised how she had been dragging You along the whole time. "Oh!" She hurriedly pulled her arm back, and jumped a step away. "I-I'm sorry! I... I just..."

"Haha, don't worry about it. Having you take charge like that was fun. So forceful~," You teased, and winked.

_Ba-dump._

Asuka blushed deeply.

"Well, we're not far from Hazawa Coffee, and Tsugumi-chan should be working now. We could go there. What do you say, sailor?"

"Um, sure... I mean... yes, captain."

You stepped closer, and was the one who linked her arm around Asuka's this time. "Then let's go. Yousoro!"

"You know Tsugumi-senpai?" Asuka asked. She was familiar with Afterglow through Kasumi and Poppin' Party, but she hadn't interacted that much with them at school. Except when Ako's sister came by.

"Yup. Now that I'm captain it's my job to deal with the student council, and Tsugumi-chan is the one who does all the boring, necessary work. I don't envy her having to deal with Hina-chan. Those two don't exactly operate at the same speed."

"I see." It probably made sense that someone as friendly and outgoing as You would know most people at the school.

And though it had been a very impulsive thing, the two of them were actually going on a date. Maybe Kasumi's appearance hadn't been such a bad thing after all.

_Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump._

Her heart seemed to race faster the more she thought about it. But it didn't feel so weird any longer. It actually felt quite nice. She was happy.


End file.
